Total Newbie question!

[PanchoSimon]

Hello all,
having plenty of time on my hands lately I decided to take the plunge buy all the gear and a kit and have a go! I’m totally new to home brewing, so I decided to use a king keg as oppose to bottling as it seemed a bit easier to start off. I just wanted some advice on wether I am supposed to pressurise the barrel immediately after adding the fermented brew or should I wait a while or even until I’m about to drink it!
sorry if it sounds like a totally ridiculous question...
thanks,
Simon.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

sorry if it sounds like a totally ridiculous question...

There is no such thing as a ridiculous or daft question we all start this hobby with little knowledge and much enthusiasm so fire away no one will judge you here.

I haven't got the answer as i don't use them but i am sure someone will be along soon to help.

 

[cushyno]

Once your brew has fermented and you've transferred it to the king Keg barrel, you should have added some priming sugar, about 80g for a 5gallon barrel. You then leave it at a similar temperature you fermented at, approx 20-22degC for 2 weeks. The priming sugar will be fermented and pressurise the barrel for you, saving needing to use gas to pressurise.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Hello all,
having plenty of time on my hands lately I decided to take the plunge buy all the gear and a kit and have a go! I’m totally new to home brewing, so I decided to use a king keg as oppose to bottling as it seemed a bit easier to start off. I just wanted some advice on wether I am supposed to pressurise the barrel immediately after adding the fermented brew or should I wait a while or even until I’m about to drink it!
sorry if it sounds like a totally ridiculous question...
thanks,
Simon.

Hi Simon,

After fermentation you put the beer in your King Keg and EITHER prime with sugar and allow a week for secondary fermentation to pressurise the keg OR inject CO2 immediately - saves a week of waiting!

Since my first few brews I’ve never used sugar and secondary fermentation to pressurise my King Kegs. If you’re not worried about the price of CO2 bulbs do the same as me and save a week!

You still have to (should) allow the beer to condition though.

Also, you will have to re-pressurise with CO2 if you drink several pints from the same keg in quick succession regardless of whether you carbonate initially with sugar or CO2.

 

[PanchoSimon]

Once your brew has fermented and you've transferred it to the king Keg barrel, you should have added some priming sugar, about 80g for a 5gallon barrel. You then leave it at a similar temperature you fermented at, approx 20-22degC for 2 weeks. The priming sugar will be fermented and pressurise the barrel for you, saving needing to use gas to pressurise.

Thanks very much for the reply, it’s greatly appreciated

 

[Clint]

So...you're NOT bottling the stout then...I think they do better in kegs.

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

PanchoSimon

Just returned to brewing (and have been asking away on here AND got some great answers) so keep at it

If this helps my first brew was Wherry and it went into a KK and was primed with sugar at around 90g. The result was a very drinkable beer and it had secondarily fermented very well so the pressure in the KK lasted for the first 30 pints (approx) and I used just one Co2 "bulb" to dispense the rest.

Second brew was a Wherry and it went into a Rotokeg at the same rate of sugar - around 90g - and with 10 pints gone the head is brilliant and I am hoping to get by on one "bulb" again

Since I brewed those 2 I have bought a new KK Barrel with S30 valve and converted my original KK to S30 as well to do away with the one shot Bulbs and control a bit better the flow of Co2 when needed

 

[PanchoSimon]

Thanks for the great info everyone.. That's also interesting about converting to the S30 valve over the bulb type adaptor
Cheers,
Simon.